What's with ITMQ?

[2minuteman]

Do we have two horses and two drivers interchanging?
Feb 1:ITMQ moves, coming off of the back from a three back,one out possie and ambles up three wide and eventually sits outside of the leader.Coming off of the back driver pulls deafeners and starts bouncing around to let the horse know it's time to rip.Horse doesn't show any sprint at all with driver showing urgency,and is well beaten in the run home.This from a horse that has one of the best sprints ever seen.
Times,from HRA results,lead 70.8,splits 31.3,29.3,27.3,27.4 .Mile rate 1.58.8.
Feb 16:ITMQ moves as field goes into the back straight,goes around the lot and ambles along in front.Coming to the turn out of the back ITMQ starts to open up a lead that will eventually become a 20m winning margin.What was the driver doing while this was going on? Sitting as still as a little field mouse.
Times,from HRA results,lead 64.4,splits,31.7,28.9,28.5,28.2.Mile Rate,1..54.7.

It was claimed in a previous post that ITMQ was beaten in the Vic Cup because of a blistering lead time and he had to work too hard early,a proposition that I did not agree with at the time and I think the above times favour my position.

What conclusion do we draw from the figures (as the fields were practically the same)?

Buggered if I know,lead time 70.8,mr 1.58.8 and get beaten,lead time 64.4,mr 1.54.7 and win by 20m.

Yes,I know that the fast lead time was set by a couple of desperates but ITMQ was sitting back in the field having a bludge.

Feb 1 form he finishes in the last three in the Inter,Feb 16 form he wins Inter BY THE PROVERBIAL STREET.Which horse/driver combo is coming east for the final?

Leaving all the "iff's and butt's" aside,my opinion is that ITMQ will not handle the pressure of the final and will faint with 200 to go.

P.S. Wasn't it heart warming to see a three horse field go round in NZ in a heat of what was once the jewel in the crown of harness racing in Aust/NZ?

[Mighty Atom]

Terror To Love ...... very good.
I'm Themightyquinn ......unbelievable - M.R. 1:54:7 .....2536 metres , and on the
" Dog Track "..... phenomenal
The rest of the heat winners were not that impressive.

Great to see the old bash ITMQ campaign is flourishing over there. Never any positive feedback...always negative.

Who cares what your opinion is of the horse, he has nothing to prove to you or anyone else.

As Bob Parker suggested, there should be a third horse selected from W.A. ( Dasher VC ) - he was spot on.

[Toohard]

As Bob Parker suggested, there should be a third horse selected from W.A. ( Dasher VC ) - he was spot on.

Gday Rod
Nothing to do with ITMQ and asking for your help really. Dasher VC beaten 34m in 1.54.7. Decorated Jasper beaten 6.8m in 1.54.5.

Dasher VC gets wildcard?

Maybe horses were offered wilcards and declined? Anyway just wondering why owner(s) Dasher VC would bother paying up to come all way over to NSW given got flogged by ITMQ and has no chance winning?

Any chance you know who owns Dasher VC?

[2minuteman]

Terror To Love ...... very good.
I'm Themightyquinn ......unbelievable - M.R. 1:54:7 .....2536 metres , and on the
" Dog Track "..... phenomenal
The rest of the heat winners were not that impressive.

Great to see the old bash ITMQ campaign is flourishing over there. Never any positive feedback...always negative.

Who cares what your opinion is of the horse, he has nothing to prove to you or anyone else.

As Bob Parker suggested, there should be a third horse selected from W.A. ( Dasher VC ) - he was spot on.

Not knocking at all,would you care to comment on the form reversal? As to my OPINION that ITMQ can't win final,I based that on the fact that any time he is pressurised in the run,he doesn't win.If you can show me the way to a replay where he has won by digging deep and showing an ability to fight,I will view it with interest.

[Mighty Atom]

Gday Rod
Nothing to do with ITMQ and asking for your help really. Dasher VC beaten 34m in 1.54.7. Decorated Jasper beaten 6.8m in 1.54.5.

Dasher VC gets wildcard?

Maybe horses were offered wilcards and declined? Anyway just wondering why owner(s) Dasher VC would bother paying up to come all way over to NSW given got flogged by ITMQ and has no chance winning?

Any chance you know who owns Dasher VC?

Hi Paul,
How could Decorated Jasper possibly be considered ahead of Dasher VC.
DJ ......94 starts.......$408,207 2 wins in last 10 starts
DVC......44 starts.......$623,342 5 wins in last 10 starts
Think they realised who the better horse was. As for having no chance of winning, probably the same could be said for 8 other horses.

[Toohard]

Hi Paul,
How could Decorated Jasper possibly be considered ahead of Dasher VC.
DJ ......94 starts.......$408,207 2 wins in last 10 starts
DVC......44 starts.......$623,342 5 wins in last 10 starts
Think they realised who the better horse was. As for having no chance of winning, probably the same could be said for 8 other horses.

Gday Rod

Agree re other 8 horses but...

The better horse was?

Sorry Rod but you miss the point. Was supposed to be on runs in heat not whatever history brought up.

Dasher VC??? Please.... Thanks to people let me know ownership Dasher VC.. surprise?

Not really...

Our mining tax at work?

[eliteblood]

Dasher VC 3 wide for a lap then without cover for the rest of the race, finished 3rd
Decorated Jasper dropped down to the fence, used sprint lane, finished 4th.

IMO, its a no brainer

[Toohard]

Dasher VC 3 wide for a lap then without cover for the rest of the race, finished 3rd
Decorated Jasper dropped down to the fence, used sprint lane, finished 4th.

IMO, its a no brainer

Beaten 35 m ???

Come on....

[teecee]

I would have thought that the "wild card" concept was to promote...
a) a horse who was clearly unlucky in his heat to miss the final,
b) one of the leading prospects whom one might expect under normal circumstances to make the final or add something to it.

Wild Cards often need not be issued simply to make up the numbers which IMO has happened here.
Neither horse issued a wild card entry to the final impressed enough nor was unlucky to offer something extra to the final other than to make up the numbers or "heaven help", get in the road!!. To that end I find it difficult to understand the logic of a 5th placegetter offered a wildcard without seriously unlucky effort.
The only horse IMO in the unlucky runner category was Devil Dodger and only managed Emergency 1.

[Maorisidol]

I would have thought that the "wild card" concept was to promote...
a) a horse who was clearly unlucky in his heat to miss the final,
b) one of the leading prospects whom one might expect under normal circumstances to make the final or add something to it.

Wild Cards often need not be issued simply to make up the numbers which IMO has happened here.
Neither horse issued a wild card entry to the final impressed enough nor was unlucky to offer something extra to the final other than to make up the numbers or "heaven help", get in the road!!. To that end I find it difficult to understand the logic of a 5th placegetter offered a wildcard without seriously unlucky effort.
The only horse IMO in the unlucky runner category was Devil Dodger and only managed Emergency 1.

Agree with what u have said TC.
I totally think that Smoken Up qualifies for your category b).
Personally I haven't heard the veterinarial reason as to why he was scratched but if by Final day he would be ready to go I reckon he deserves to b a wildcard 100% regardless of him not competing, no one can challenge his resume and current form to say he is not a worthy Finalist.